This invention relates to a device for printing high quality frame still pictures from externally input video signals. Differences between the two fields which constitute the frame still picture are compensated to produce a clear hard copy image of the still picture frame.
To make a hard copy of an image, a picture printing device is connected to an external device such as a color television, an image pickup device, a video recorder, a personal computer or the like. The picture printing device stores video information input from the external device and processes the video information so that it can be sequentially read out at a suitable processing speed to record the processed video information onto a suitable medium. Processing may include gradation so that the image can be printed by a recording head onto recording printing paper mechanically conveyed at a predetermined rate.
Problems are caused in conventional picture printing devices when the input video signals represent motion pictures. Printing a still picture frame from motion picture video signals involves using the image data of the two fields which constitute the still picture frame.
In motion picture video signals taken by hand held image pick-up devices, such as 8 mm video cameras, deviations in the picture by unintentional hand movements cause further problems in producing high quality still picture frames from the two fields of data. Conventional picture printing devices do not correct for deviations in the input video signals when a still picture frame is printed, therefore any deviation between the two fields of the picture would be represented in the printed copy of the still picture frame. As a result, the printed picture appears unclear.